Yeti’s Guild Ball WIP

[YetiSA]

So I managed to scrape together an hour or so and got some painting done yesterday. I decided to spend the session emphasising the difference between the shade and the light. The shade is already pretty dark (darker than it looks in the photos) and the light is already almost white in places, so I decided to try to add a little colour. Ultimately the light source will be slightly blue so I decided to add some orange to the shadows. The result is mixed. I think that the OSL is looking a little more believable (although it doesn't show up that well in the photos) but I'm not sure about the cloak itself. I'll probably glaze in a little dark grey to take it back down a touch but even so, it's pretty bland and I'm not sure what to do about it.



With a little luck I'll get some time to paint again this evening. If I do I'll probably spend the time on the staff and light source itself. Hopefully that will make the rest more believable.



If anyone has any advise on this guy I'd love to hear it.


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[ten ball]

Your right about the warm and cold greys, just deepen them LOADS more to add contrast where there is none (forced contrast).
Its all about getting the balance between shade - midtone- highlights.

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[YetiSA]

Thanks ten ball, I'll try that. Thanks for the reference picture too, that'll be very useful.

 

[YetiSA]

Here's the next installment in the Gandalf's glacial progress. My painting time continues to be limited and I'm afraid that the real victim is the poor mini. Because of the disjointed sessions, coupled with my trying a few new things, I just haven't built up any form of flow on him.

In this session I filled in the sword and staff and widened the contrast on the cloak (thanks 10). The OSL effect is finally starting to show but I'm afraid that it's a little too little too late. I'll probably give him one more session to finish things off and then move on with the next pair of Brewers (tartan... shudder).

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I also need to base him but I think I'll keep it very simple. I know that the best way to show the OSL would be to build something complex with walls and floor that the light could reflect off but I don't think I'll do that with this mini. I am contemplating picking up another (since I can find them reasonably easily) to give it another shot in a year or so... we will see.

Any final thoughts on him would be appreciated.

 

[ArchArad]

For your first go at OSL I think it looks damn fine. :good: The increased contrast on the cloak works really well. Basing wise, I pictured him on an outcrop of rock somewhere.

Just yell if you want another try - the man and I now happen to have two of that set (got given one as a gift by Battle Wizards on Monday).

P.S. I vote for your Black Knight entering the painting queue!

 

[YetiSA]

Thanks Shelagh, I'll remember that.

Black Knight now has some competition... I may have stopped past Esswex last weekend. Besides, I don't know if I'm up for a 120mm figure just yet... I might try out of of the 54mm first.

 

[BloodASmedium]

Do what ten all mentioned it took 3 years for me to force contrast thinking ice never like it but it really is the key to mini painting for the simple reason is 28 mm models don't exhibit shades and highlights the way a human being does so as ten says " hit it with the forced contrast hammer!"

 

[YetiSA]

Yeah BAM, I think that it'll take me a little while to get there too. One of y problems with this model though is trying to get the contrast of each area up while maintaining the OSL effect. For example, in the front of his robe, the bottom is supposed to be outside the main sphere of light so I really don't want to pull the contrast too high. Having said that, I'm actually quite happy with his clothes now. In my last session on him I need to fix up that beard, his belt and the other items that haven't had much attention.

 

[Sicks]

Hes looking good, maybe add some glints to the sword? While it is out of the main osl area the higher reflectiveness of metal would probably show some glinting from the osl, does that make sense? (I know what I'm trying to say at least lol)

 

[YetiSA]

Thanks Sicks, the sword already has the first pass as some highlighting but unfortunately it isn't really visible in the pic because of the angle. Definitely needs some more though, particularly at the tip.

 

[KruleBear]

Someone named Bailey did a decent example (lol) of realistic osl you may want to reference as well that emphasizes BAM ant Tens comments. Note how dark the mini gets on the back side. Yours looks good, but the entire top is fairly coloful like there is still some type of zenthithal lighting in addition to the staff.
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[Digganob]

I think you did a great job at the OSL. Its subtle and easy to see and blends in nicely.

 

[YetiSA]

(pic heavy post incoming)


Thanks KB and Digga.


KB, I've been drooling over that piece since ArchArad showed it to me a few months ago. It really is something to aspire to. Looking at the two side by side again I can see one of my major problems. Bayley has achieved the completely unlit area by desaturating the colour and taking it down to a tinted greyscale. I've been trying to achieve the same effect with only darkening, in my defense, it's difficult to desaturate grey... but the point still stands
As to the color on the hat, the light source is actually very high up and other than the arm, the hat is the thing that would catch most of the illumination... looking at it now though, it should fade off a lot more as it gets closer to the tip.


Anyway.
Here he is after his last session. I've added a little more contrast to the sword, touched up the beard and belt and given him a very quick base. Beyond that he's just had a coat of matte. He isn't close to the quality I'd like but I've had fun painting him and the OSL was an interesting exercise, I think that I'll do it better next time.

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And now onto something... fatter


Meet Mash (man) and Esters (opera soprano). They are the husband and wife team that makes up the first Brewers release for season 2. I have already undercoated them but they both have some pitting that I'll sort out with BAM's varnish and hair drier method before I start painting them.

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They're going to be painted in the same colour scheme as the rest of the brewers. Browns and creams for the most part with tartan for colour... at least that's the broad plan. Esters is giving me a little more pause though. I don't think that I'm going to paint her vast... dress in tartan, that would be a bit much. Instead I'll paint her little loin clothy thing in the tartan and cover the rest of her in blue like I did with Stoker's cape.

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If anyone is wondering, Esters is holding a bunch of hops (time for some reference photos) and Mash has a mash stirring paddle... not a cricket bat.
... and yes, she does have an in game ability called 'The Show Aint Over...'

 

[YetiSA]

Looking at those Gandalf photos again, maybe I should try taking them again with the exposure set down a couple of stops. He's quite a lot lighter here than in real life... I'll see if I remember this evening.

 

[ArchArad]

I'll try to remind you.

 

[KruleBear]

Those last photos of Gandlf show your osl much better. You are definately doing it right and keep improving with every mini.

 

[YetiSA]

Thanks KB
.

 

[YetiSA]

Remembered to take photos with slightly less exposure. This is closer to what he looks like in real life. Still not fantastic but it shows the contrast a little better. In retrospect (because I'm not planning on picking him up again) the highlights show be like the are in the first photo and shadows should be like the second.

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[khavor]

Oh photography, the other hobby, the one that's just as frustrating but not as exciting. I do like the most recent photo better though. It definitely shows the osl more, and overall I think you've really been successful. One thing I notice is that the final highlight on the ground seems too bright because you've used a gray close to what's on his beard. I'd rather see some final edge highlights on the sharpest folds of his lower body, and less on the ground. Can't wait to see what you do with Mash and Esters.

 

[YetiSA]

Thanks for the comments khavor. As it happens photography was a hobby of mine for a long time. Now I pretty much only take photos of my minis and kids.
You're right about the ground. The base was a bit of a rush job and I wanted to make distinct light and dark for the shadows... I should probably have made the whole thing darker. I went back and forward on the final highlighting of the lower body a few times, eventually left it dark because I wanted to focus on the OSL and it was in the shadow. Still not sure if that was the right choice.